Should the FDA Take Monster Energy Drink Off the Market? [POLL]

Many of us night owls use caffeinated substances to get us through.
I’m sure Monster is one of them.

How much of it do you drink…have you had any adverse effects from it; and if so, do you feel it should be taken off the market, especially in the wake of the report of 5 deaths linked to energy drinks

According to this:

The reports claim that people had adverse reactions after they consumed Monster Energy Drink, which comes in 24-ounce cans and contain 240 milligrams of caffeine, or seven times the amount of the caffeine in a 12-ounce cola.

Although the FDA is investigating the allegations, which date back to 2004, the agency said the reports don't necessarily prove that the drinks caused the deaths or injuries.

"As with any reports of a death or injury the agency receives, we take them very seriously and investigate diligently," Shelly Burgess said in a statement.

Monster Beverage Corp., which makes the energy drinks, did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment on Monday, but the company has denied that its products caused any deaths.
The Corona, Calif.-based company said last week that "Monster is unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks."

News of the FDA's investigation follows a filing last week of a wrongful death suit in Riverside, Calif., by the parents of a 14-year-old Hagerstown girl who died after drinking two, 24-ounce Monster Beverage Corp. drinks in 24 hours.

An autopsy concluded that Anais Fournier died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity. The medical examiner also found that she had an inherited disorder that can weaken blood vessels.

Fournier's parents Wendy Crossland and Richard Fournier claim Monster failed to warn about the risks of drinking its products.

The company touts Monster Energy Drink on its website as a "killer energy brew" and "the meanest energy supplement on the planet." The cans bear labels stating that the drinks are not recommended for children and people who are sensitive to caffeine.

And according to this:

The company said it intends to vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit and won't comment further.

Monster and competitors such as Red Bull aren't bound by the FDA guidelines for caffeine in sodas, because energy drinks are often sold as dietary supplements. Monster doesn't list the amount of caffeine in its proprietary formula, only that the ingredient along with the plant extract guarana and the amino acid taurine are in the drink, according to the lawsuit.

Soda typically can have as much as 71 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces for the FDA to consider it safe. The FDA may require companies to prove caffeine levels are safe if they exceed the guideline. Caffeine in energy drinks often ranges from 160 milligrams to 500 milligrams a serving, the FDA said in an August letter responding to Senator Durbin's call for greater regulation of the industry.

Regulators are assessing the nation's caffeine intake to ensure the amount in energy drinks is as safe as that in coffee, soda and tea, the FDA said earlier this year after Durbin raised the issue in April.

Were they to do that, it would no longer be “Monster”…and the can does have a warning on the side of the label.

Just like packs of cigarettes do.

It’s like anything else that’s supposedly “bad” for you.

Read the label and judge for yourself. Should I or shouldn’t I?

(And for the record, I don’t….just in case you wanted to know!)